June 2004
DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Micro nano breakthrough conference planned for Portland, OregonPORTLAND, Ore.- A diverse group of people interested in the evolving growth of nanoscience and microtechnology will participate in the Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference 2004 scheduled for July 28-29 at the Sheraton Portland Airport.
This first-ever conference is designed to explore the difficult challenges within the Lilliputian world of nano- and microtechnology, as well as the promising business opportunities for rapidly developing and commercializing the smallest man-made technology in the world.
The conference is sponsored by the Microproducts Breakthrough Institute, which is a collaboration of Oregon State University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., and is a member of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, also known as ONAMI.
"Nearly every fundamental technology will be impacted by nano- and microtechnology in years to come," said Landis Kannberg, technical network leader for energy with PNNL and co-director of the Microproducts Breakthrough Institute. "We're merging leaders from all facets of the micro nano fields to explore the possibilities these emerging technologies will bring."
Conference-goers will be encouraged to engage in working groups, participate in roundtable discussions, share ideas and network with fellow industry and technology leaders. "We expect a wide range of developers, researchers, and business and government leaders to attend the conference to learn more about the exciting progress being made," said Kevin Drost, a professor of mechanical engineering at OSU and co-director of the Microproducts Breakthrough Institute. "This will be an excellent opportunity to share ideas, build networks and set our agendas for the future."
The event is designed for scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, business developers, government officials, students, investors, and a wide range of other professionals interested in the dramatic growth of nano- and microtechnology as a science, business and area of economic opportunity.
The conference will explore many distinct discussion tracks.
Federal Government- Need for microproducts Health Care- Miniaturization of medical devices Defense and Homeland Security- Micro-climate control Energy- Micro-power and hydrogen generation Electronics- Chip cooling, and Innovation and Entrepreneurism
Registration for the event is now open. More information on speakers, fees, the conference agenda and other details can be obtained on the web at http://www.pnl.gov/microproducts/conferences.
The Microproducts Breakthrough Institute was established last year and is aimed at commercializing nano- and microtechnologies into new products and companies.
Many academic, industry and political leaders believe that Oregon is ideally positioned to become a national leader in nano- and microtechnology. Oregon recently opened its first signature research center, the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, made possible with support from the Oregon legislature and private industry. And many leaders say the state should be a strong competitor for one of the new national nanotechnology research centers authorized by the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, which was co-sponsored by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden.
Oregon State University- Home to the nation's 23rd largest undergraduate engineering program, OSU is one of only two universities in the country designated a Land Grant, Sea Grant, Space Grant and Sun Grant institution and is one of only four universities in the Northwest to have the prestigious Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive ranking from the Carnegie Foundation. With more than $150 million in annual funded research, OSU ranks among an elite group of research universities nationally.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory that solves complex problems in energy, national security, the environment, and life sciences by advancing the understanding of physics, chemistry, biology, and computation. PNNL employs 3,800 people, has a $600 million annual budget, and has been managed by Ohio-based Battelle since the lab's inception in 1965.
Microproducts Breakthrough Institute- Oregon State University and the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory formed this research and educational center to develop and help market advances in the emerging and highly promising field of microtechnology. The institute anticipates spawning new and important industry in the Pacific Northwest based on small, lightweight, and more efficient chemical, energy and biological systems, for both commercial and non-commercial use.
The Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute- ONAMI is focused on researching and commercialization of nanoscience and microtechnologies, in order to foster the creation of new products, companies and jobs in the Pacific Northwest. It unites the University of Oregon (Eugene), Oregon State University (Corvallis), and Portland State University with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Richland, Wash.), the state of Oregon and private industry.
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